Bionic Eye Approved in U.S.

A bionic eye, giving limited vision to people who are blind, has been approved for the first time in the U.S.

It’s an artificial retina. It cannot restore sight completely, but it can improve vision. With it, people with certain types of blindness, can detect crosswalks on the street, the presence of people or cars, and sometimes even over-sized numbers or letters.

It involves surgically implanting electrodes in the eye. Glasses are needed with an attached camera and a portable video processor. The hardware and the software allow visual signals to bypass damage in the retina and be transmitted directly to the brain.